


Self-Sacrificial

by ReptileRuler



Series: PRaZ FebuWhump [5]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst, Electrocution, Gen, The Almighty Tallest Being Assholes (Invader Zim), Torture, pessimistic ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 01:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29217123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReptileRuler/pseuds/ReptileRuler
Summary: Dib's about to get arrested by the Irken Empire. Zim won't let that happen.Febuwhump 2021Chapter 1: DAY 5: “take me instead”Chapter 2: DAY 21: torture
Relationships: Dib & Zim (Invader Zim)
Series: PRaZ FebuWhump [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137614
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	1. Take me instead

**Author's Note:**

> "Zim and Dib are space adventurers together" AU

“Take me instead.”

Purple’s antennae raised at Zim’s stern voice.

The defect wasn’t supposed to be out here, in space. Apparently at some point he’d decided to abandon his fake Invader mission to fuck off with some human on space adventures. The human which had been caught breaking into Moo-Ping 10 and trying to free a bunch of rebel aliens.

“Really?” Red, standing on Purple’s right, said, “you’re aware we’re going to torture you until we grow bored, right?”

“Being Irken ain’t gonna help you, Zim”, Purple said. Zim pinned his antennae back and nodded, standing as proud as ever.

“Zim, no”, The human, called Dip or Dob or something, begged. He had a bleeding gash over his forehead which clung to his head-fur and dripped down his face. “Don’t let them take you. You’ll die.”

“And what do you think would happen to  _ you,  _ earth-worm?” Zim hissed, turning to his human. “Be quiet! And leave before anyone changes their mind.”

“That’s probably wise”, Red hummed, and made a sign to the guards.

Purple watched with mild fascination as an electric spear dug into Zim’s side. He hadn’t heard  _ that  _ kind of shriek from the smaller before. It was lovely. He could listen to that all day, and maybe he would, if Zim’s voice could hold that long. Sounded like a fun experiment. 

“Zim!”

The human (Dib! It was Dib!) rushed forward, and received a shove with the non-electric part of the guards’ staffs. He flew a good few length-things and fell on his bum.

“We’re nothing if not fair”, Red said with an amused smile, “your human can go free. But if we see him breaking in again,” Red turned his attention to Dib, “Zim dies. Got that?”

Dib sniffed but didn’t reply, just glared in youthful defiance. What a spunky guy. It made sense for someone like Zim to get attached to something like that.

“Dib”, Zim said, hoarsely, still on his knees from the electricity, “I- take care of GIR for me.”

With another gesture from Red, Zim was forced onto his feet and pushed forwards, away from his human buddy. Purple glanced back to savor the hopeless look in Dib’s face before he floated up to Red’s side as they left. 

They shared a gleeful look.

“So where do you want to hurt him first?”


	2. Chapter 2

Zim turned his cheek towards the floor. It was cold, the metal soothing against a bruise flaring up across his face.

Whips. Primitive torture devices. Combined with more modern tools such as electricity, they were truly effective weapons. They ripped up the skin  _ and  _ seared the flesh beneath it. It took ages to heal, even with his superior PAK.

Which had run out of pain relievers to administer him days ago. If only he could… rest for a little while, it could recycle his body’s waste material and create new ones for him…

As it was, the PAK busied itself with keeping him alive. 

“Get up.”

The Irken in charge of causing him as much pain as one could fit into a schedule pulled at a chain connected to a choker around Zim’s neck. He had to force himself into a kneeling position, or die from lack of oxygen. The loss of cold metal against his swollen face felt like the most devastating thing imaginable.

Something buzzed, and he’d gotten all too familiar with this specific sound, which meant the electric whip had been activated, and that he was about to be in a world of pain once again. 

“Wait-”  _ shwip!  _ The whip hit is bare back and ruptured his skin and not-yet healed wounds. 

They didn’t usually do the whip twice in a day. Or, he thought so, but Zim’s sense of time had been slightly corrupted. Either way, this change in routine was almost as terrifying as the pain from the torture device. 

He cried out when the thing hit again, grazing his PAK and sending jolts of electricity through the machinery. 

Zim’s vision blurred. His PAK groaned and buzzed with the effort of staying online. Again, and again, and again the whip hit, to the point where he was certain he’d lose consciousness. It would be a first, but at this point he would welcome it. Anything to escape this agony.

“Okay, that’s enough”, a different voice said. This one Zim recognized! He gasped, his head whipping up despite his pain.

In the doorway, backlit by bright, pink corridor lights, stood Almighty Tallest Purple.

“My Tall-”  _ shwip! _

“Haha! Good hit! I said it was enough, though.”

“Yes, my Tallest”, the Irken with the whip said. It sounded like the torturer then left, dismissed, but Zim couldn’t quite tell, busy trying not to cry in front of the almighty Tallest. An Irken Invader doesn’t cry! Not even when they are almost keeling over from their injuries!

Something touched Zim's cheek, prompting him to look up. It was Purple's foot, he realized in slight despair. Was he not even worth basic dignity?

Tallest Purple towered over him. Of course, he knew that the Almighty Tallest were tall, but it really struck him then, just how much smaller  _ he  _ was in comparison. With the smallest twitch of his muscle, Purple could squash him like a human would kill a cockroach. 

“I’ll be fair - it’s been fun watching you scream in pain, Zim”, Purple said casually, as though this were a normal situation, where the both of them were equals talking about something like the weather. “You’ve been pretty good at keeping your human’s whereabouts hidden, gotta hand it to ya. Though the Control Brains have decided on a safe way to execute you now, so, yanno. It’s been a good run.”

Zim had always been good at holding onto praise. His lips pressed together into a ghostly smile, thinking about how he had kept quiet, not telling them about Dib or their ship or the ship’s flawless cloaking technology. Yes. Zim had done good. 

“Thank you, my Tallest.”

Tallest Purple hummed. Zim allowed himself to be scrutinized, the tip of his Tallest’s toes still digging into the soft bit under his chin. 

“It’s funny how you still call us that, when you were clearly trying to free rebel prisoners before. You’re a traitor, Zim.”

Zim didn’t reply. 

“And soon you’ll be dead. So that’ll be great, for me that is”, Purple shrugged and removed his foot. He floated to the door, and Zim watched him leave. As he was left alone in his cell, he sank down and pressed his cheek against the soothing coolness of the floor again. 

That had been strange.

But Zim had done good. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He'll be fine, probably.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter will be for day 21, for the prompt "torture". More tags WILL be added along with that so do be mindful :0


End file.
